Our erratic weather pattern has flipped again towards Moderately Wet conditions this past week with 2.63" rain falling over 4 days including a couple days of severe thunderstorms that spawned high winds and tornadoes. High winds brought down my neighbor's maple tree, snapping it off mid-trunk; and also causing widespread power outages. Temperatures and humidities were above seasonal average during the first half the week--getting as high 91F on Wednesday, and then going back down to more pleasant seasonal averages with lower dew points the rest of the week. Lawns are now lush and growing again. Considerable time and energy has been expended this week cleaning up storm debris on my lawn and throughout the neighborhood. Mosquitoes have been swarming in high numbers in the woods, and are also becoming noticeable in shady areas in town. Ticks are also out and active now. Both of these critters are known to carry diseases: mosquito-borne West Nile virus has been detected in SW Michigan, and tick-borne Lyme's disease cases have been "ticking" up in Michigan in recent years. Lightning bugs (firefly) flashing in the twilight were observed this week.